


Diverging Rivers

by KillugonsUchiha



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: A love letter to Twin Rivers, Basically all HunterxHunter characters will appear at some point, F/M, Gen, M/M, Nispedana approved, and it’s sequel and tie in, basically an Isekai story, go check out her stories, tags will be added as I go
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-29
Updated: 2020-08-07
Packaged: 2020-11-07 15:03:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,725
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20819294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KillugonsUchiha/pseuds/KillugonsUchiha
Summary: A love letter to "Two Rivers" and "English Alphabet" by Nispedana. Rei, the granddaughter of Killua Zoldyck and Fem!Gon storms out of the family home after a fight. In the midst of a terrible storm, she is knocked out. And when she comes to, she is being helped out by a boy named Gon! Can things possible get any weirder?





	1. Fights x and x Storms

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Nispedana](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nispedana/gifts).

> With permission from Nispedana, i have come out with my first HxH story! This one takes place during the 2011 anime while hers was based more on the 1999 anime.
> 
> Go and check out "Two Rivers" and its sequel and tie in if you can and I hope you enjoy this!

“I don’t need your pity!”

Silence resonated in the large, mansion like house. The only sounds to be heard were the strong winds picking up outside. Many eyes belonging to a room full of people just stared with varying degrees of emotions at the source of the bellow.

A young girl, not even in her teen years yet, shuddered with every breath she took, her body trembling as she did so. Chestnut brown hair, usually a mess anyway, was disheveled and in a state of disarray. Her eyes, a beautiful shade of forest green, were tinted red, like she had been crying more than sleeping. Above all, they were filled with a type of irrational fury that only those going through immense grief felt. With those eyes, she was staring down each and every one of the occupants of the room.

The person closest to her, an older girl with black hair in twin tails and soft blue eyes blinked, clearly taken aback by the sudden outburst. “Rei…”

“Shut it, BJ!” The girl known as Rei growled passed gritted teeth. “I already told you, I don’t need your pity.”

BJ made a rather aggravated noise in the back of her throat. She was taller than the brunette by a good head, causing her to look down at her little cousin. “It’s not pity, Rei. What is you problem?”

“You’re my problem. All of you are!”

That made the sixteen year old scowl, especially when the even littler cousins of their family, began to whimper and bury their faces into their parent’s sides. “Damn it, Rei! Can’t you see we are only trying to help you?”

“I never asked for your help!”

“Well, you sure as hell need it, brat!”

BJ held her ground as Rei’s glare turned murderous. No doubt that if looks could kill, then she would be long dead by now. But that wouldn’t deter her. She would make Rei realize that they were there for her, and she didn’t have to grieve on her own. Even if the younger girl was being a near insufferable brat.

Sharp clapping came from their side, half bringing their attention to the source though they quickly turned back to glaring at each other. “That’s enough, you two.”

Walking up to the quarreling pair was an older man in his 40s, his hair and eyes the same color as BJ’s. Due to the similar coloring and a few facial features, it was easy to tell that the two were related and one would be right to assume so.

Akira Zoldyck was in charge while his parents were out for the moment, and the man looked about as exhausted as the other adults in their party, maybe even moreso. Still, his gaze was strong, which was backed up by a strong gait, large size and impressive build. His arms were crossed over his chest as sharp blue eyes travelled between one girl to the other.”You shouldn’t be fighting right now.”

“But Daddy, I…”

“Bisuke.” The sixteen year old flinched at her father’s tone and the usage of her actual name. He rarely used it, only when he was serious or she was in trouble. “I realize you mean well, but this isn’t helping matters.”

BJ crossed her arms in indignation, acting a little put off at being scolded. Akira let out a soft sigh before turning his gaze to his young niece. This time, his eyes held compassion and sympathy in them.

It made Rei’s blood boil.

“Rei, it’s been….a tough week, I know. Just know that we are here for you when you need it.”

The twelve year old didn’t want to listen. Her posture was defensive, her arms crossed over her chest and shoulders raised to her ears. “What I need is for all of you to leave me alone!”

BJ clenched her fists as she, once again, lost her temper. “You aren’t the only one who lost someone, you know! Stop acting so selfish!”

“Bisuke!”

But there was no taking back what has been said. A shadow fell over Rei’s eyes, and there was a tense calm before she spoke again. “You have no idea what I am going through, Bisuke.”

She never called her cousin that, and that bothered the teen. “Listen, Rei…”

“No, you listen!” Rei’s tears green eyes were unveiled, projecting deep sorrow and immense anger. “You…you have a dad, and a mom and four fucking brothers, and one more on the way! So don’t you preach to me that you have any idea how I feel! He was your uncle but that was my daddy and he was the only parent I had left! Now…now I am effectively an orphan!” She shuddered in her tirade as tears finally cascaded down her cheeks. “And you don’t take a fucking hint, either! I don’t want your help, I don’t need your pity, but you just keep barging in and meddling! So don’t y-you dare preach to me, Bisuke! Just…” Rei’s body shook with how hard she was crying and how angry she was feeling.

Akira kept calm and took a deep breath. He made a step forward to just put a hand on his niece’s shoulder, but all that did was cause Rei to recoil as if she had been burned.

“No! Stay away from me!” Not giving anyone any time to really react, the brunette whirled around and dashed straight out the door and into the storm brewing ahead.

The collective family was completely silent save for a few whimpers and cries from the youngest members. One of the older children, a young teenaged boy with messy black hair and grey eyes scoffed. “Fantastic job, BJ. You just couldn’t leave her be, could you?”

“Oh, shut up, Ayame,” BJ grumbled, his fists at her sides and head down.

Beside her, Akira sighed before approaching his daughter and winding a muscles arm around her lithe shoulders. “I know you meant well, BJ.”

“I just wanted to help. Grandma always says that we should be there for each other in times like this, right? So why is Rei being so difficult?”

A deep sigh exited her father’s lips as he squeezed her shoulders in a comforting manner. BJ looked up and saw deep sadness and understanding in his eyes. He almost looked like he could start crying at any moment, which surprised BJ. It was rare for him to display anything like that outwardly. Then again, he did just lose his closest little brother. “You’ll understand one day. Some people process their grief in different ways and it’s best to give them their space. Once Rei calms down, she’ll come back and then we can talk things out.”

BJ exhaled out of her nose. “I guess.” Still, the dark haired girl couldn’t help but glance back out the door. The storm was steadily starting to pick up. She hoped Rei wouldn’t stay out there for too long, before she shook her head. Her little cousin may be mad at them, but she wouldn’t be so mad that she would rush herself out in a near typhoon.

So then, what was this sudden feeling of dread?

(Break)

Panting heavily, Rei sprinted through the forests surrounding her home. Rain had started to fall from the blackened clouds above and the still strong winds made each drop cold as the drops collided with her skin. Eventually, the preteen came to a stop, panting hard with her head down. For a moment, she just stood there and let the rain fall on her. Then even her panting fell silent before she trudged over to a nearby tree.

She felt absolutely terrible. Her stomach felt queasy, her muscles hurt and she felt herself becoming almost nauseated and it wasn’t because of the storm. With her back against the trunk of the tree, Rei slid down, uncaring if her shirt was torn from the bark sliding against it. Once her butt touched the ground, she drew her legs close to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, burying her face in both.

Unable to stop herself, Rei cried deeply, her face heating up and sniffles becoming apparent past the sound of rain. She felt so shitty, felt so angry and had no idea what to do with herself.

Losing her dad had been a massive blow to the young girl. All because of a careless mistake and some stupid poison, the doctors couldn’t save him without sacrificing the lives of so many people. Now she lost the father she relied on, leaving a gaping hole where he once took residence in her heart. Sure, she was close with her immediate family like her aunts, uncles and cousins but it wasn’t the same.

After crying for a while, Rei lifted her head and stuck a hand down her shirt, taking out two rings that dangled off a simple, silver chain. They were her parent’s wedding rings, and once her father died, they had been given to her as a memento. She just stared at them for a moment before closing her fist around them.

“Why did you have to go?” She whispered softly.

It could barely be heard amongst the rain. And soon, the rainfall increased, thunder going off and lightning illuminating the skies above. Even Rei had to realize that staying out here would do her no good. She didn’t want to return home, no yet, but she had no choice.

Finally forcing herself to stand and with a shaky breath, the brunette made the trudge back home. However, almost halfway there, the storm really picked up. The wings howled in her ears, causing her hair to whip every which way. The rain drops felt more like ice drops hitting her skin and her clothes were so drenched they were starting to stick to her body.

“Damn it!” Rei cursed, hugging herself in order to keep herself warm as she tried to get back home as quickly as she could. A few times, she nearly slipped on the wet grass before righting herself.

Suddenly, lightning struck from somewhere nearby, very close by actually, causing her to flinch and briefly stop. The brunette never saw it coming.

Unbeknownst to her, the lightning struck a large tree branch, which fell just as she was passing by. It hit her head hard, her body falling forward as a result. Rei’s head spun, and her vision darkened before she fell completely unconscious.

(Break)

“Hey! Are you alright? Wake up!”

Someone was shaking her, rousing her from her unconscious state and causing her to groan softly. Coming to, Rei realized two things. The first was that her head hurt like a bitch. It made her not want to open her eyes, even if something told her that she really needed to stay awake. The second thing was that there was no longer a storm going on, the sound of rain absent and replaced with the tweeting of birds and chittering of small forest creatures.

“Ah! You’re awake now!”

Rei managed to open her eyes, squinting hard and the only thing she could see at the moment was grass, meaning she was still on her stomach. Her head throbbed and Rei sighed while trying to move her limbs. Sluggishly, she raised her right arm to cradle the back of her head. She immediately cringed when she felt something wet and something told her it wasn’t from the rain.

“You’re bleeding! Hold on!”The next thing Rei knew, she was being picked up and righted so she was held bridal style. “I’ll get you some help!”

They were moving now, and Rei was able to open her eyes more so she could see what was going on and who was helping her. It was a boy around her age with blackish green or greenish black hair stuck up in impossible spikes and facial features that felt incredibly familiar to her. He almost looked like a couple of her cousins, maybe even a young version of her twin uncles. But what drew her in the most were his eyes, an autumn or maple brown with a shine in them that only one person she knew had.

The boy realized she was looking up at him and gave her a wide and friendly smile that almost made her feel comforted. “Hi there! I’m gonna need you to stay awake for me, okay? My aunt and grandma can help take care of you. Oh, my name is Gon. What’s your name?”

For a long moment, Rei could only stare up at him with her eyebrows furrowed. His name was Gon? Like her Gran-Gran?

“It’s Rei,” She Found herself replying to his inquiry while her throbbing head tried to work out a logical explanation for this. Her grandmother was a very well known Hunter, even more well known than her own father. So perhaps it was possible that someone named their son after her.

“Rei, Huh? That’s a nice name!” He tore his gaze from her as he picked up the pace, grinning before long once a house started to come into view. “There’s my house! We’ll get you some help soon, Rei. Don’t you worry!”

The brunette managed to move her head a bit in order to take a look at this “Gon’s” house. The appearance of it just confused Rei more. Why were they heading to….

“Aunt Mito! Grandma Abe! We need help!”

What?

The door swung open and a young woman in her early twenties and a short elderly woman came out. Rei’s eyes widened as she took in their appearances, barely registering that they had gasped and “Gon” had run up to them.

“What happened, Gon?” “Aunt Mito” asked in a serious voice as the two women allowed them into the house.

“I found her in the forest. Her head is bleeding pretty bad.” Indeed, if Rei looked over “Gon’s” shoulder, she would see spots of blood making a trail from where they had come from. Come to think of it, she must have lost quite a bit because she was starting to become a little lightheaded along with the throbbing. So much was happening all at once, and Rei was having a difficult time getting her thoughts together.

Everything after was largely a blur, but Rei knew that she had been brought up to a bedroom, given a change of clothes and her head injury was treated.

“You’re lucky. The wound wasn’t too bad, and you should be fully recovered in about a week or so. But no strenuous activities until then!” Now with her head bandaged, Rei was in a bed, sitting up and looking around the room. At Mito’s explanation, Rei looked at her and nodded, a strange expression in her eyes.  
“Yes, um…thank you.”

“Mito” smiled and stood up, holding some medical supplies in hand. “Would you like some tea? Grandma makes fantastic jasmine tea.”

“That would be good, thank you.” Once “Mito” left the room, Rei let out a breath and continued to look around.

This didn’t make sense. This didn’t make any sense at all! What happened after she was knocked out? The three occupants mentioned they were on Whale Island at some point, so how the hell did she end up all the way out there? Where was her family and why didn’t they get to her after the storm? Why did this “Mito” have the same name and appearance as her “great aunt” when she was younger? And most importantly, why did this boy have the same name and look almost exactly like her Gran-Gran when she was young?

A knock on the door brought her out of her thoughts and “Mito” came in the room with a steaming cup of tea. Trailing behind her was “Gon” who had the biggest smile possible on his face.

“How are you feeling? Does your head feel any better?” He asked.

She reached up to feel the bandages securing her wound, humming to herself softly. “Yeah, I feel a little better.”

“Mito” handed her the tea and a couple of pills. “The pain killers should help if you have a headache.”

Immediately, Rei popped the pills in her mouth and downed them with the tea. It did taste really good, the aroma and taste calming her nerves a little. Feeling a little more relaxed, Rei asked the question that has been on her mind since “Gon” introduced himself.

“This is going to sound really random….but what’s the date today?”

Mito scrunched up her face lightly. “It’s the 19th of November.”

Rei nodded before gulping. “A-And the year?”

This made “Gon” tilt his head in a manner similar to a confused puppy. “It’s 1998. Don’t you remember?”

At that moment, Rei’s world stopped and her eyes widened. Suddenly, her stomach lurched before she vomited everything in it. This roused surprised and alarmed sounds from the pair, who immediately became concerned.

But now things made sense. Whale Island, a young Mito, and a young boy named Gon.

She was over 50 years in the past, in some alternate dimension!!!

Rei would later be ashamed to admit that that realization brought her to puking again. She would have to apologize to Mito for ruining her shoes.


	2. Reflect x and x Reason

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally, I was going to cram three weeks into a single chapter, but as I was writing this out, I realized that I would need to split things up in order to make this story flow better.  
This is a sorta slow chapter but I hope you do enjoy it.

Rei was left alone after her episode, the girl now laying down and allowing her body to rest. Mito had to practically drag Gon out of the room as he wanted to stay by Rei’s side Incase she got sick again. The red haired woman wasn’t having it, simply setting aside a waste bin before dragging a protesting and whining Gon out by the collar of his shirt.

Rei was glad for that, so now she could finally have some peace and quiet in order to think things through. Green eyes were slightly bleary as her mind raced.

So, one moment she storms out the family home following a fight with her cousin, and the next she gets knocked out by a tree branch. The result? A head injury and some sort of time/space displacement. She was now on Whale Island, which was far away from home, but even stranger, she was about 50 years in the past. Or an alternate past? That’s the only explanation to why her Gran-Gran was now a boy.

If that didn’t give someone a headache trying to figure out, Rei didn’t know what would. It sounded like some cheesy plot from one of those Sci-fi films her cousin Ken liked to watch.

Sighing out of her nose, Rei reached down and held up her rings. She stared at them for a good long time as she contemplated. There was still a lot of anger inside of her, bubbling in the pit of her stomach, especially when she recalled the fight with BJ.

“Tch!” Rei scoffed with an irritated expression. What was BJ’s deal? Was it too much to ask everyone for a little space? Apparently so! Everywhere she went, someone was always there, asking how she was and pitying her with the same god damn look in their eyes! She took a deep breath and counted to ten mentally before she gave herself a headache, calming herself down somewhat.

By the time of the fight, Rei had grown sick with everyone and could barely tolerate anyone. The only ones she could really stand were her little cousins, most of whom didn’t understand what was going on anyway, and her grandparents.

Thinking of them, Rei’s expression changed. Instead of intense anger, the brunette’s face smoothed out and became more somber. When she thought about it, she never really got too mad with them. Sure, she showed them attitude whenever her emotions and grief got the better of her. But they were able to handle her outburst differently than everyone else and even she couldn’t stay mad at them.

Okay, so maybe she was a little biased. After all, they had a large hand in raising her and she was quite close with the two of them.

Her mother died when she was a toddler, and her dad had been left heartbroken. He was a Hunter himself, so money wasn’t an issue, but he didn’t know how he was supposed to raise his daughter on his own, especially with how time consuming his job tended to be. Fortunately, he had a ton of support from his family and his parents were more than happy to help him in taking care and raising a rather rambunctious two year old.

A small smile crossed her lips for a brief moment at the memories that flashed through her mind before her face returned to being more serious. Looking over to the door, Rei sighed and sat up. She didn’t feel nauseated anymore, but her current situation needed to be looked over. Rei raised a hand once more to touch the bandages covering the wound.

How was it possible for her to be sent decades in the past and in an alternate dimension from just being knocked out by a tree branch? In every movie or book she has seen that’s dealt with this sort of thing, there was always a machine or supernatural power behind it.

Well, Rei didn’t have any sort of special power, certainly not one that could allow her to travel through time and space. And as far as she knew, there wasn’t any sort of device or machine that was near where she was at the time of the storm.

“But maybe when I was unconscious…”The preteen mumbled to herself behind her hand. That would have been the only possible time anyone could have done something to her, considering she was out until the next day.

That only roused more questions than provide any answers, however, and Rei couldn’t help but let out a loud, aggravated sigh. “Great, my head hurts again.” This was getting her nowhere.

She stayed in bed for about another hour before she started to get fidgety. Even when she was sick, Rei never liked to stay in bed for too long unless it was something really bad. It was quiet from what she could hear and this sparked curiosity in her. Were they still around or did they leave? There was a momentary pause before she decided to say “screw it” and check out things herself. Opening the door, Rei stuck her head out and looked around. All was quiet and it seemed like no one was around. So she walked out of the room and headed down stairs, stopping at the bottom. Neither Gon nor Mito were in the house, apparently, but there was someone seated at the table. Grandma Abe.

Rei never met her personally. She died when her father and uncle Akira were children. From what she knew, the woman was loved very dearly by her grandmother and grand aunt, thus her death hit them hard.

With a cup of tea in her hands, Abe turned her head over to where Rei was standing and gave the girl a pleasant smile. “I see you couldn’t stay in bed for too long. Would you like to join me?”

Rei blinked before rubbing the back of her head and blushing a bit. “Y-Yes, thank you.” God, she felt so awkward. Still, she took a seat across from the elderly woman and graciously accepted a hot cup of tea.

“How are you feeling, dearie?”

“Mmm, okay I guess. My head doesn’t hurt as much anymore and I don’t feel queasy or anything.”

This prompted another smile out of Abe. “That’s good. You kids are lucky. Your bodies are new and strong, so they won’t break as easily.”

“I guess,” Rei laughed awkwardly, taking a sip of her tea. This one was mint, and the taste of it extracted a pleased sigh from her lips. Then she looked around. “Say, where are Miss Mito and Gon?”

“Oh, they went into town to grab a few things. They’ll be back at around dinner time.”

Rei hummed passed another sip of her tea. She didn’t quite know what to say beyond that. This whole situation was absurdly foreign, and even though she had never met Abe, she couldn’t find anything that she wanted to talk about.

Abe, on the other hand, stared at the young girl. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it but there was something…strangely familiar about her. Rei didn’t look like anyone she knew, but there was something about her that made the old woman think she did. The gleam in those pretty green eyes, as far as she knew, only belonged to two people in her life.

“Dearie, what’s your full name?”

Rei pauses, blinking inquisitively at Abe. “Oh, it’s Rei Z…” She caught herself before her last name could exit her lips. Shit, if she was in the past where Gon Freecs was young, then it stands to reason that there was a young Killua Zoldyck here as well, along with his family. The Zoldyck family was infamous, but also secretive and elusive. If they heard that a complete stranger was going around and using their last name, it would undoubtedly cause problems for Rei later down the line.

“Zakura! Rei Zakura!” She tried not to sweat too much with her little slip up and hoped the cover up last name was believable.

Abe just stared at her for an uncomfortably long time. It felt like she was trying to figure something out about Rei, and the brunette tried not to fidget in her seat. Did she realize that she was lying?”

Finally, the woman smiled and nodded her head. “Rei Zakura, a lovely name.”

It took everything in Rei not to sigh in relief. Thank God Abe seemed to buy it.

It was nearly an hour later and when the sun was about the begin its descent as evening approached that Mito and Gon returned. Abe and Rei had been making small talk and enjoying their tea when the door swung open to reveal the young boy and young woman, both of them holding bags in their hands.

Maple eyes met green, and Gon immediately broke out into a wide grin. He set down the bags he was holding before racing over to Rei’s side.

“Rei, you’re up! How are you feeling?” He looked her over as he asked, which made Rei smile almost fondly. Her Gran-Gran did the same thing whenever she got injured or sick, among other things.

“I’m fine, Gon. I don’t think I’ll get sick again anytime soon.” And on that note, she turns to Mito and bows her head. “I am so sorry for ruining your sheets and your shoes, Miss Mito.”

Mito just waved and laughed a little humorously. “No worries. It wasn’t your fault, and they can be washed out pretty easily.” Her expression then turned into one of concern, the air around her motherly. “But more importantly, are you sure you should be up yet? Perhaps you should go and lay back down for a little bit longer.”

Rei shook her head. “I really am okay, Miss Mito. Besides, I’ll only get fidgety again and will want to come back down.”

For some reason, that made Gon laugh. “I know the feeling. It sucks staying in one place for too long!”

Rei stares at Gon, now feeling speechless herself. This was more awkward than talking with Abe, because, unlike the elder, Rei knew Gon personally. He may be a younger boy version of her Gran-Gran, but there were (so far) so many similarities between them, it was staggering. He had a warm air around him that made her want to hug him and just cry out all of her troubles. But that wouldn’t do at all.

Apparently, she had been staring longer than necessary cause Gon was now furrowing his eyebrows. “Is there something on my face?” He tilted his head, blinking rapidly in a way that just made him look adorable.

Rei laughed, shaking her head. “It’s nothing. I’m just a little spacey, that’s all.”

Gon hummed then nodded. He made to join the two of them when the sound of a throat clearing made him pause. Mito has her hands on her hips and a stern visage directed at him, a tapping foot completing the look. “Gon, you weren’t planning on leaving me to do all the work, were you?”

At that, Gon stood straight up while laughing nervously and rubbing the back of his head. “Ah hah, of course not. Coming, Aunt Mito!”

Rei couldn’t help but smile and shake her head. She guessed it was as the old saying went. ‘The more things changed, the more they stayed the same.’

Dinner was prepared a little while later, the stars outside twinkling and the moon rising in the sky. It was then that Rei realized just how hungry she was. Her stomach growled loudly, causing her to blush when it attracted the attention of everyone else.

“I….kind of haven’t eaten at all today,” She said, scratching the back of her neck.

Gon laughed again while Mito and Abe smiled. “Well, it’s good that you have an appetite,” Mito mused, sitting next to Abe. Then the Freecs family clasped their hands together, closed their eyes and bowed their heads. So that applied here too, huh? Rei never really got the point of praying, but she still did it out of respect. Once they were done, it was time to dig in and boy did Rei ever dig in. Everything looked so good and the brunette couldn’t help but pile food on her plate.

Mito and Abe were used to Gon’s eating habits. He had a voracious appetite befitting of a boy his age. Watching Rei keep up with him in enthusiasm and voracity, however, was more than a little surprising. They almost looked like twins with how they were scarfing down their food, somehow managing not to make too much of a mess.

That was until Rei spotted something on another plate that had been hidden and froze. Her nose crinkled when she saw what it was. Ugh, red peppers! It seemed like she hadn’t been subtle with her show of disgust cause Mito looked at her.

“Rei, is something wrong?”

The girl paused, slowly looking off to the side. “I…don’t really like red peppers.”

“You should still eat it though,” Mito replies, a soft yet stern look on her face. “There are less fortunate people in the world than you, so you shouldn’t waste any of the food given to you.”

The look on Mito’s face told Rei that she wouldn’t back down from this. Well, Rei was just as stubborn and didn’t faltered….initially at least. She absolutely hated the taste and texture of red peppers, any peppers really, though red ones were somehow worse than yellow and green ones. It was something she and her grandpa Killua bonded over, other than their love of chocolate.

“Come on, Rei,” Gon gave her a determined but also stern look. “Aunt Mito knows what she is talking about.”

Rei’s eyebrow twitched at Gon before she averted her eyes to look at the peppers. She engaged them in a sort of staring contest, but the brunette knew she was fighting a losing battle. So, with everyone watching, she reluctantly took a few of the red peppers and put them on her plate. Then, she put the disgusting thing into her mouth and forced herself to eat it. After that one, she practically wolfed down the rest of them on her plate just to get it over with.

“See, that wasn’t so bad now, was it?” Mito smiled sweetly before going back to her own meal.

‘Speaking for yourself,’ Rei grumbled mentally while chugging down a glass of water in order to wash the taste out of her mouth.

Everyone finished dinner sometime later and Rei hung out with Gon while Mito and Abe cleaned up the dishes. She had wanted to help but Mito insisted that she take it easy and that they could take care of it. So she complied and engaged in some small talk with Gon.

Well, it wasn’t so much them talking to each other as much as Gon recounting his adventures on the island. He was so animated and passionate about it all, it was infectious and Rei found herself enjoying it. It felt like she was back at home and having late night talks with her grandmother again.

Soon though, the two adults finished and Rei found herself the center of attention once again. She had an idea about what was coming.

“How did you end up in the forest like that?” Gon asked first, that having been on his mind since he discovered Rei laying there hours ago.

The brunette sighed. She couldn’t exactly tell them the whole truth. Who would believe that she came from an alternate timeline fifty years in the future and was also their grandchild? Fortunately, Rei had sort of anticipated this and had gone over a cover story for herself that could possibly work.

“I was in a shipwreck not too far from the island. The storm…it completely tore apart the ship, and I was hit by one of the support beams that had come loose.” She fingered her bandages again. “I actually don’t remember too much after I got hit, but I must have washed up on the island and tried to get help from the town before I fell unconscious again.”

Despite her closed eyes, there was an air of sympathy around Abe and definite sympathy in Mito that almost made Rei flinch. Part of her wanted to retaliate in some way for garnering that same reaction AGAIN, but she didn’t. There was no need to snap at them.

“That sounds awful. You’re quite lucky indeed, for the waters around us can be incredibly treacherous.”

“That does explain why your clothes were ruined and where your head injury came from. But were you alone in all of this? Was your family with you?”

Rei shook her head. “No. My family is all back home, very far from here. I was traveling with a family friend when the storm hit.” Even she couldn’t make up something like her family dying, even as a joke or a cover up.

“They must be worried sick about you,” Mito replied. The brunette’s expression became uncomfortably as she shrugged. However, she couldn’t shake that thought. Were they worried? If time passed the same there as it did here, then were they worried when she didn’t return? Did they think she ran away after the fight?

She must have seemed upset, which she actually was, because Gon approached her and put a hand on her shoulder. Rei rose her head when she felt him squeezing it in a comforting manner and met his gaze. Maple eyes burned brightly and it made her own eyes widen.

“Don’t you worry. I’m sure your family is fine, and we’ll find a way to be able to get you back home!”

He said it with such conviction that had everyone in the room fall silent. The pair stared at each other and Rei simultaneously felt a shiver go down her spine and her body becoming enveloped in something warm. For a moment, she wasn’t with a young boy named Gon but her Gran-Gran of the same name. Letting out a shaky breath, Rei managed to prevent any tears from falling out before smiling herself. “Thank you, Gon. Really.”

The boy grinned, all teeth and sunshine. “No problem!”

Once the moment had passed, Mito cleared her throat and clapped her hands together. “Well, in light of your current situation, and until you are able to reunite with your family, you are more than welcome to stay with us.”

Rei looked over at Mito. “Really? You don’t mind?”

“Of course not! We would love to have you here!” Mito exclaimed before putting her hands on her hips again and giving the girl a playfully stern look that still managed to convert how serious she was. “But, since you will be staying here for an indefinite amount of time, I expect you to pull your own weight around here.”

This brought something akin to a grin to Rei’s face. It wasn’t full and it didn’t quite reach her eyes, but it was grateful nonetheless. “Of course. I’ll do my part!”

“For now, would you be comfortably in borrowing a pair of Gon’s clothes to sleep in?”

Rei shrugged. “It’s fine with me.” She had plenty of boy cousins and had borrowed their clothes at times over the years, at least until the majority grew taller than she did, sans the younger ones.

“Good! Then you can stay in the room we had you in before.

“That’s right next to my room!” Gon yelled excitedly.

“Cool.”

On Mito’s orders, Rei was sent off to bed in order to get a full night’s rest. Gon had given her a plain shirt and comfy green shorts before he was sent to bed himself. Now laying in bed, the brunette stared out the window at the twinkling stars and gleaming moon. She was tired, but her loud thoughts kept her from falling asleep.

Thoughts of her family flashed through her head, and Rei wondered how they reacted when she didn’t come back. She wondered how her grandparents reacted when they came back from the store, only to discover that she had run off and now no one could find her?

They had just lost their son and now they would have to deal with one of their grandchildren going missing.

Tears stung her eyes and blurred her vision, but she didn’t move to wipe them away. Instead, she closed her eyes and exhaustion made it easy for her to fall into a dreamless sleep. 


	3. Island x tour x memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gon takes Rei on a tour of the Island, and the pair bond as they make a decision that will change everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this took me forever to write. I apologize for the long wait but my muse can be horribly jumpy and non-cooperative. But I am back and I have more motivation to continue and eventually complete this fic!

Over the next few days or so, Rei started to get used to waking up in the unfamiliar bed on Whale Island. It had been daunting at first, having to remind herself that she wasn’t dreaming and yes, she was still decades and an entire dimension away from home. She was fortunate enough to have ended up somewhere at least a little familiar though.

Mito, Abe and Gon all made this whole situation a lot more bearable. They treated her as if she were a true member of the family, which was funny since she technically was. So, as days passed, Rei was able to slowly come to terms with her situation. It helped that there were things to keep her distracted, especially since she was confined to the house until she recovered more. 

Today was the sixth day since she’d arrived in this time and they were all finishing breakfast. Gon was practically quivering in his seat, he had so much energy and wanted to get his day started. 

Rei couldn’t blame him. She was getting stir crazy herself, and she wanted to run around and truly stretch out her limbs. Alas, Mito had given her explicit orders to stay at the house while she healed up. It took all of Rei’s willpower not to whine out in desperation, she was so bored. Gon couldn’t be there all day (and he didn’t really want to be), and there was only so much she could do around the house to keep herself occupied.

Fortunately, it seems like today was her lucky day.

“Rei, would you like to get out of the house?”

The sudden question had Rei pausing in washing the morning dishes and looking over at the young woman next to her. Wide, green eyes met mirthful golden brown. “Are you serious?”

Mito giggled, clearly amused with Rei’s reaction. “Of course. You have been getting rather stir crazy lately. Don’t think I didn’t notice.” She held back a laugh at Rei’s blush before turning her gaze to Gon. He looked to be quite happy and excited as well. “Gon, would you mind showing her around the town? And if you plan on taking her into the woods today, don’t do anything strenous?”

“I won’t!” Gon grinned brightly. “Come on, Rei! I’ll show you around!”

Smiling to herself, Rei nodded and followed Gon out the door. The first thing she did as they made their way down the dirt path was take in the fresh air and the surrounding area. The last time she had been on Whale Island was a few years ago for a family gathering, so being back brought forth good (and sorrowful) memories. 

Shaking her head, Rei grinned. This one was a little more genuine and slightly mischievous which had Gon blinking quizzically. “What is it?”

“Say, wanna race, Gon?”

“You sure? But Aunt Mito said you shouldn’t push yourself yet.” The boy looked so adorably concerned, complete with a little head tilt. Rei had the sudden, strong urge to squish his cheeks in her hands.

So, she loved cute things. Sue her.

Still, the brunette couldn’t help but shoot him a pout. “Oh, come on! Running isn’t really strenuous! I need to run and stretch my legs and feel the wind in my hair.” Okay, she may be acting a little dramatic...but she really needed this. To complete her manipulation, she shot him her own puppy eyes and a little pout. “If I don’t run know, I may seriously die (of boredom).”

Gon looked at Rei with an expression that was part bewildered and part unsure. After a few moments of just staring at her, Gon nodded. “Okay. But the second you feel something is wrong, we stop. No arguing.” His face was serious, and there was a painfully familiar look in his eyes. Rei had to look down before nodding her head. “That’s fine.”

As soon as she said that, it was as if a switch flipped in Gon’s mind because a large grin stretched from ear to ear. “Last one to town has to do one thing the other wants them do. Whatever they want to do!”

“Incentive! You’re on!” A competitive glint sparkled in her forest green eyes. The two preteens got into position.

“Ready! Set! GO!” With that, the two sprinted off. Rei was fast, very fast. Since she figured out how to use her legs at the tender age of one, running had been her favorite thing to do. She sure caused a lot of trouble for her father and grandparents, but she couldn’t help it.

Laughter rang between the two of them, jubilant and free. For a moment, she could forget her problems and the situation she was in and just enjoy this race with Gon. The two were neck and neck, trying to gain the edge over the other. At the speed they were racing at, it didn’t take them long at all to reach the village. 

Gon ended up winning the race in the end, and Rei couldn’t help but shoot him a pouting look. “Looks like you have to do one thing that I want!”

Insert aggravated sigh here. “Fine, what do you want me to do?”

The island boy hummed, holding a couple of his fingers to his chin in contemplation. “I don’t know yet! But I’ll think of something later!”

Rei rose an eyebrow but didn’t object or say anything as her wrist was grabbed. “Come! I’ll show you around!”

The people of Whale Island were, in general, very nice. Each of them greeted the preteen pair with hearty smiles and warm personalities. It was...nice, though she was a bit out of her element and stuck to letting Gon do all the talking. She managed to at least greet them back and answer some simple questions. Thankfully, none of those questions were invasive. 

“That’s, uh, a lot of fish,” Rei found herself commenting as she gazed at the open fish market. Various people, mainly women, were at workstations, sorting fish into separate bins and barrels. The smell was almost overwhelming though. She loved sea food as much as the next person, but this was pushing it.

“Whale Island is the best fishing port in these waters,” A fisherman, who was carrying a large box, boasted proudly. “You won’t find fish of better quality anywhere else. In fact, much of the income for everyone on the island comes from selling our catches to various restaurants and markets across the sea.”

Greem eyes widened a little, and Rei appeared to be a little intrigued by the fact. “Wow.” Then again, it should make sense for a fishing island to get their profits from fishing and selling their hauls. 

“So, where are you kids heading to?” Another fisherman asked. 

“I’m showing Rei around the island a bit, and we’re going to go play in the woods. I want to introduce her to Konta!” Gon replied excitedly.

Rei rose a brow over at Gon. “Konta?” Why did that name seem so familiar?

In return, Gon gave her a cheery and mischievous smile. “You’ll see!”

Rei just stared at him blankly.

The pair bid the dock workers a farewell and went on their way. Gon showed her more of the civilized parts of the island before leading her to the forest. It was almost surreal with how cut off it seemed from the rest of the world. Not a single aspect of the forest looked like it had been touched or tainted by human hands. The air smelled fresh and clean, the forest was lush with greenery and various species of insects and animals could be heard among the trees.

“Come on! He should be around here!”

Rei was broken from her observations and saw that Gon was a fair distance away from her. It seemed that, in her reverie, she had slowed down almost to a stop. 

“Ah, coming!” She sped walked and easily caught up to him.

He led her to a small clearing, and she caught sight of a small, worn down shack, the first sign of human activity in the otherwise peaceful forest.

“Is this yours?”

“Mmhm! I made it myself when I was younger, and I tend to come here often whenever I don’t have schoolwork to do. This is where I usually meet up with Konta.” Before Rei could finally ask who Konta was again, the boy cupped his hands around his mouth and called. “Konta! Konta! It’s me, Gon! I’m here and I brought a friend!’

Rei blinked as her companion continued to call but then felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise, realizing that she was now being watched. She looked to her left and then to her right, an apprehensive look on her face. 

“Um, Gon...”

The island boy whirled around just as he caught the scent of his old friend. But by that time, Rei was being tackled by a big, furry something. 

“Mmpf! Pfft!” She couldn’t get a word out with a large body holding her down.

“Konta, hey! Get off of her!” To Rei’s relief, Gon came to her aid and coaxed the being off of her.The first thing Rei did was spit out the fur that she unintentionally let into her mouth. The second was get a good look at her “attacker” so she could tell them off. Her words died on her tongue when she realized just who, or rather what, Gon’s friend was.

“A foxbear?” She’s never seen one up close before, especially with how aggressive and territorial they tended to be. But as she stared up at the creature, who was doing the same down at her, she didn’t get the indication that this one was aggressive. In fact, it…his eyes gleamed with a friendly light that made her feel a little more at ease.

“Yup, this is Konta! Konta, this is my friend, Rei!”  
Blinking, Rei just nodded her head. “I’m, hello.” Remembering the lessons she received from her father and grandmother about wild animals, she slowly stuck out her hand, her palm facing up and with her fingers spread. This was meant to not only allow the animal to take in your scent but also show them that you weren’t a threat.

Konta’s nose twitched as he smelled the newcomer and must have liked what he found because he licked the palm of her hand and face and gave her a hug that nearly enveloped her entire body.  
Now knowing herself that Kong’s wouldn’t hurt her, Rei smiled a little and accepted the gesture, even hugging back. Man, it would have been nice to have her camera right about now. How many people could say they were able to be in close proximity to a Foxbear, unarmed and not get mauled on the spot?

“Wow, you’re amazing, Rei!”

As Konta let go of her, the girl looked over at Gon inquisitively. “Um…thanks? But what do you mean by that?”

“Well, Foxbears are very territorial and they don’t really like people much. In fact, the only reason I can really be around Konta like this because I raised him a cub. Though I introduced you, I’m surprised he’s already warmed up to you.” He shot Rei a toothy grin. “You must be really good with animals.”

Green eyes blinked before the brunette hummed, mulling it over. When she thought about it, she did interact better with animals than with people. “I….I guess so.” As if to affirm this, Konta leaned down and licked her cheek, encouraging a smile from her.

Just then, in unison, two resounding growls emerged from the stomachs of the two preteens. Gon laughed and rubbed his stomach while Rei blushed and scratched the back of her head.

“I guess that means it’s lunch time. Come on! We’ll go and show you how to fish, Rei!” He jumped onto Konta’s back once the foxbear got down on his paws. Letting out a joyful roar, Konta sped off with Gon laughing freely. The sight almost made Rei laugh, and she looked at the departing pair fondly before taking off after them.

Coming to a large watering hole, Gon and Konta has already started gathering some fish and were throwing some on the bank. “Do you know how to fish?”

Rei crosses her arms, kicking the dirt a little. “With a fishing rod, maybe. I’ve never actually caught any with my bare hands before.”

“It’s easy! Come in and I’ll teach you!”

His abundance of energy remained her of her little cousin, Keiichi…

Rei shook those thoughts from her mind and instead took her shoes and socks off. She rolled up the legs of her pants and waxed in, her toes curling into the soft hand and dirt below. The water was incredibly clear and she could see fish swimming all around her.

Gon showed her the ropes of successfully catching a fish without tools, which Konta eagerly backed up with incredibly ease. So Rei waited for her chance before reaching down and grabbing a hold of a passing fish. The girl’s face brightened, straightening her posture and showing the flailing fish in her grasp.

“Don’t hold it too close to your face though!”

“Huh?”

The warning came a little too late as the fish’s tail smacked her in the face a few times in an effort to make her let go. Which worked since Rei relaxed her hands and gave the slippery thing amble opportunity to escape from her grasp. The bewildered look etched onto her face cause Gon to bust out laughing. She promptly reciprocated with a glare and a pout, not unlike what she would give to her Gran-Gran in situations like this.

“Oh, haha. Very funny.”

Gon snickered passed grinning teeth, clearly trying to hold back his laughter to no avail. Soon though, Rei’s glare softened and she even laughed a little while shaking her head fondly.

The pair spent the next twenty or so minutes catching fish and setting up a small camp to eat lunch. Konta has long since departed, apparently going to take his portion of the haul back to his mate. Fish and berries weren’t things she usually had for lunch, but it was nice. It had been a while since she’d gone camping. The smell of fire and food attracted the attention of the local wildlife, who all started to approached the pair.

A speckled squirrel climbed onto Rei’s shoulder and chittered. She smiled softly, grabbing a few berries and held them up for it to take, which it did eagerly. When a few more squirrels came up to her, she found herself sharing her berries with all of them.

“You know, you’d make a great Hunter.”

The brunette looked over at her companion quizzically. Amusingly, he too was accompanied by wildlife, even down to having a speckled squirrel on his shoulder. “What makes you say that?” 

Gon took a bite of his fish and looked up at the clouds. “It’s something someone said to me a few years ago. He said that Hunters are naturally good with animals.”

“Huh.” Now that she though about it, didn’t her dad say something about that to her once? Swallowing the lump in her throat and blinking the stinging sensation in her eyes away, Rei said, “Well then, you could be one too. If your friends are anything to go off of, I mean” 

Gon laugher sheepishly, then dug into the pocket of his shorts and pulled out something that made Rei’s eyes widen.

“A Hunter’s license?!”

“Mmn! It’s not mine. It was given to me by the man who told me about Hunters being good with animals. His name is Kaito, and he’s my dad’s student.”

She recognized the name. Kaito was practically her grandmother’s older brother and her dad, aunt and uncles all looked up to him as their uncle as well. In fact, her youngest uncle, Kai, was named after the man. Rei herself met him a few times whenever he wasn’t on one of his expeditions.

“See, I grew up thinking my parents had died. Then, a few years ago, I wandered into foxbear territory and was almost killed by a mother foxbear. Kaito saved my life by taking the life of the foxbear. He would have killed her cub too if I didn’t convince him not to.”

Rei nodded in understanding. “Konta, right?”

“Yup. After that, we got to talking and he told me that my dad was till alive and a pro hunter. This license is actually his.” He flashed the card and Rei could see the name on the border of it: ‘Ging Freecs, 1987’. “Kaito said he was hunting him down as a final test before giving me this. He said I had the potential to be a Hunter like he was.”

“Do you want to?”

The island boy nodded without hesitation and made eye contact with her. His molten brown eyes looked gold in the light and it caused her breath to hitch for a moment.. “I do. The Hunter exam is in January and I want to take it and find my dad.”

The feelings of nostalgia and warmth was almost unbearable and Rei had to look down so she could compose herself. It was so surreal, but though she knew that they were technically the same person, the fact that Gon as much of an effect on her as her Gran-Gran was hard to believe.

“You should take it with me!”

Rei was broken out of her thoughts by that declaration. She didn’t say anything, but she did give him her attention.

Gon scratched his cheek with a finger. “Well, you are good with animals and you are pretty amazing since you’ve kept up with me all day. But also…you said you have a family that is far away, right?

That was an understatement right there. “Yeah. I’m not even sure how I’ll get back

“Then take the exams! I don’t know all of what a hunter does, but maybe if you get a license, then you could find someone who can help you get home!” He paused, then declared boldly. “That’s the one thing I want you to do for me. Come with me and take the Hunter exams.”

A Hunter, huh? To be completely honest, Rei has always wanted to be a hunter like her parents, grandparents, aunt and uncle were, but she was told over and over that she would have to wait until she was 18 to take the exams. BJ was actually planning on taking them herself after she finished high school. However, these were different circumstances. She had no idea how she ended up in this world or why and had no knowledge of how she could get home. From what she remembered, Hunters had privileges and benefits that no normal person would be able to access, including information.

The more she thought about it, the more she realized how much she needed to do this. She was still mad at them, but she didn’t want her family to think she had run away or worse, died out in the storm. If getting a license would help her, then two birds with one stone. Still, she ended up softly laughing and shooting Gon an amused expression. 

“You’re using your win in order to make me take the exams with you? You are so weird, Gon.”

The boy stuck his tongue out. “Well, that’s what I want and you can’t take it back!”

She waved her hand at him, her head shaking. “So, will Mito even let us take the exams? We aren’t even teenagers yet, and I’ve heard it’s incredibly dangerous.” Which was exactly the reason my the newer generations in her family were encouraged to wait until they were older before trying for them.

“We’ll just have to convince her together! After we get our applications, we’ll tell her why we want to take them and why we should take them!”  
He made it sound so simple, and yet Rei couldn’t help but smile and nod, the warmth in her chest spreading.

“Sounds like a plan.”

She needed to get home, and if this was what it took, then she was more than happy to break that family rule. She was going to become a Hunter, no matter what.


End file.
